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ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO 4047　16 March 1951

FIELD REPORT (164 MISDI 1669)　8 March 1951

Cooperative. Seemed to be in good physical condition. Apparently has a keen memory and absorbed a great deal of what he heard and saw during his NKA career. As a company commander, he had considerable access to tactical information.

Talked freely and confessed he is surprised to find out UN promises of humane treatment to PW are true.

Information is detailed and is believed to be reliable.

Conscripted into National Defense Ministry's Guard Company at P'YONGYANG 20 Mar 47. Trained with Guard Company in basic infantry tactics and performed guard duty for the National Defense Ministry until 9 Sep 49, on which date assigned to #1 Officers Candidate School at P'YONGYANG. Graduated from Infantry course 30 Jun 50 as Jr Lt. Immediately assigned to Casual Officers Pool of National Defense Ministry as were 500 other newly commissioned Jr Lt.

Departed from P'YONGYANG 3 Jul 50, by train with 150 other newly commissioned Jr Lt, and arrived SEOUL 10 Jul 50. There, assigned as Plat Ldr, 1st Plat, 6th Co, 2d Bn, 4th Regt, 2d NK Div, and ordered to join the div at CHONGJU (CR6555).

Departed SEOUL 12 Jul 50, marched with 24 other replacement officers for the 2d Div, and arrived CHONGJU 16 Jul 50. There, joined the 2d Div and was wounded in combat 17 Jul 50.

Departed CHONGJU 17 Jul 50, carried on a litter, and arrived SUWON (CS2526) 21 Jul 50.

Departed SUWON 23 Jul 50 by train with 200 wounded NKA soldiers, and traveled via the following places:

At SINUIJU placed in the #7 NKA General Hospital 30 Jul 50.

Discharged from the hospital 21 Sep 50. Departed SINUIJU immediately, marched with 195 other ex-patients, and arrived P'YONGYANG 1 Oct 50. There, with 2 other officers discharged from the hospital assigned to the Casual Officers Pool of the National Defense Ministry.

11 Oct 50, received orders promoting him to Lt and assigned as a company commander 3d Co, 1st Bn, 3d Regt, 15th NKA Div. Departed P'YONGYANG upon receipt of these orders, marched with 5 other officers, and arrived TOKCH'ON (BV6903) 13 Oct 50, where he joined 15th Div which was being activated. 20 Oct 50, 118 EM joined the PW company, thus changing the company from a skeleton organization of 6 officers to a T/O company of 124 officers and men. All but 3 of the EM were untrained recruits.

24 Oct 50, 15th Div received an unknown number of second-hand weapons, including M1891/30 rifles (30 rd ea), PPSH SMG, Maxim HMG, and mortars.

Departed TOKCH'ON 26 Oct 50, marched over mountain trails with 15th Div, and arrived CHONCH'ON (BA8506) 3 Nov 50. There, 15th Div trained in night and mountain warfare.

5 Nov 50, a train 16 cars long arrived from MANCHURIA at CHONCH'ON. It brought cotton-padded winter uniforms, Soviet M1891/30 rifles, Maxim HMG, DP LMG, and 82mm mortars for the 15th Div. All these were new.

Departed CHONCH'ON 6 Dec 50 with 15th Div, marched (at night only) over mountain trails and roads, and traveled via the following route:

At MULGOL LI, the 3d Regt dug foxholes and entrenchments to make a stand against UN attempts to advance. However, regiment shelled by UN artillery from 020900 until 031200. Most of the shells fell on the position where 1st Bn of 3d Regt dug in. PW company (3d Co, 1st Bn, 3d Regt, 15th Div) was virtually exterminated and the PW was captured by advancing infantrymen of 3d Bn, 17th RCT, 7th US Div at 031600 1 Mar 51.

3 Mar 51 CP of 1st Bn, 3d Regt, 15th Div located on the northern slope of a hill called CHANGMI SAN (차미산) 12 Km N of PANGNIM NI (DS5043). 3 companys 1st Bn entrenched on the forward (southern) slope of CHANGMI SAN.

CP of 2d Bn, 3d Regt, 15th Div and 3d (50th) Regt Hq located 1 Km N of CHANGMI SAN on a mountain called TOKSU SAN (덕수산). 3 companys of 2d Bn entrenched on the eastern slope of TOKSU SAN.

3d Bn, 3d Regt, 15th Div dug in on the forward (southern) slope of an unidentified mountain 3 Km N of TOKSU SAN and was protecting the 3d Bn CP and the 15th Div Hq located on the northern slope of that mountain.

2d (48th) Regt Hq was on a mountain 2 Km E of TOKSU SAN and 3d Regt Hq was northeast of the 2d Regt Hq.

Regimental commander told him that the Arty Regt of 15th Div was undergoing training in vicinity of INJE 28 Feb 51.

Mission of 15th Div is to deny use of HOENGSONG-KANGNUNG highway to UN Forces.

PAK Won Kun (박원근)

Maj Gen, CG, 15th Div

LEE In Ku (리인구)

Col, CO, 3d Regt, 15th Div, CODE: CHUNGMANGKANG #50 (충망강#50)

CH'OE Yong Hi (최영히)

Lt Col, Political Commander, 3d Regt, CODE: CHUNGMANGKANG #51 (충망강#51)

CH'OE Hak Son (최학선)

Lt Col, Deputy CO, 3d Regt, CODE: CHUNGMANKANG #52 (충망강#52)

SON Pyong Hwa (손병화)

Maj, CO, 1st Bn, 3d Regt, CODE: PIHAENGKI #70 (비행기 #70)

KIM Yong Kun (김영근)

Capt, Political Commander, 1st Bn, 3d Regt, CODE: PIHAENGKI #71 (비행기#71)

Unknown

Lt, CO, 1st Co, 1st Bn, 3d Regt, CODE: CHAMNAMU #1 (참나무#1)

Unknown

Lt, CO, 2d Co, 1st Bn, 3d Regt, 15th Div, CODE: SONAMU #1 (소나무#1)

KANG Pyong Ok (강병옥)

Lt, Political Commander, 2d Co, 1st Bn, 3d Regt, 15th Div, CODE: KAMNAMU #2 (감나무#2)

KWON Sang Tae (권상태)

Jr Lt, Plat Ldr, 1st Plat, 3d Co, 1st Bn, 3d Regt, 15th Div, CODE: KAMNAMU #3 (감나무#3)

KIM Song Hak (김성학)

Jr Lt, Plat Ldr, 3d Plat, 3d Co, 1st Bn, 3d Regt, 15th Div, CODE: KAMNAMU #5 (감나무#5)

15th Div received no replacements since activated Oct 50 at TOKCH'ON.

Personnel of 15th Div received average of two meals daily. Rations obtained by confiscating food from villages through which the division passed.

15th Div received no additional weapons, ammo, or equipment since it was fully equipped at CHONCHON Nov 50 when a 16-car railroad train brought supplies of cotton-padded winter uniforms, new Soviet M1891/30 rifles, 82mm mortars, HMG, SMG, hand grenades, LMG and ammo to the division.

Observed 3 ox-drawn 76mm Field Guns (USSR) and 3 ox-drawn 45mm M1942 AT Guns (USSR) at the southern outskirts of INJE 18 Jan 51. Artillery pieces part of Arty Regt, 15th Div. 28 Feb 51, heard from his regimental commander the Arty Regt of the 15th Div still in the vicinity of INJE and undergoing training there.

Following means of communication available to the various levels of units in the 15th Div:

Wireless transmitter-receiver: 15th Div, to III Corps

Field Telephones: 15th Div to its subordinate regiments and the regiments to their subordinate battalions.

Runners: All levels.

In addition to the above means, bugle used by the Regimental Headquarters, to give following order to all personnel in the regiment:

Morale 15th Div low because men feel they have been cheated since NKA propaganda promised them air, armor, and artillery support which they have not received yet.

Combat efficiency poor because the 15th Div had not had combat experience until 3 Mar 51.

2 Dec 50, observed a train departing northward from CHONCHON which had an unknown number of captured American soldiers in it. Heard NKA soldiers at the CHONCHON RR station say train was going to MANCHURIA via MANP'OJIN (BA7279).

27 Feb 51, observed an estimated company of captured ROK soldiers in MULGOL LI. These ROK soldiers were eating supper of millet and rice. An NKA guard told PW ROK soldiers had been captured by II NKA Corps.

8 EM in Co (3d Co, 1st Bn, 3d Regt, 15th Div) fell ill with relapsing fever Jan 51. 45 men in battalion became ill with typhus fever during Jan and Feb 51. 31 men from battalion afflicted with frostbite. The relapsing fever, typhus fever, and frostbite cases were sent to Med Unit of 15th Div Hq.

No immunization or other counter-measures given to 15th Div personnel to protect them against disease.

PW did not surrender voluntarily; he was captured after his company had been annihilated by UN artillery and infantry fire.

Observed UN leaflets dropped over MULGOL LI 28 Feb 51. Heard UN loudspeaker broadcasts at MULGOL LI 28 Feb 51, 1 Mar 51, and 2 Mar 51.

Both the UN leaflets and loudspeaker broadcasts addressed to the officers and EM to surrender as they were promised humane treatment and would not be killed. They warned the NKA not to be led by the CCF and USSR. The leaflets and broadcasts made in the name of General MacARTHUR.

Considered UN leaflets and loudspeaker broadcasts merely propaganda tricks. Did not believe he would be treated in the manner that the UN promised because he was under the influence of communist propaganda. However, upon being captured decided UN leaflets and broadcasts were more than propaganda because he has not been harmed and had received good treatment.

Did not hear other NKA soldiers discussing UN leaflets or broadcasts because NKA personnel are forbidden to talk about them.

Dec 50, observed 4 horse-drawn light artillery pieces (5 horses ea) on a road 4 Km S of POKKYE RI. These artillery pieces were proceeding southward and accompanied by approx 20 CCF soldiers.

For the AC of S, G-2: